Rail-lock



E. E. How/mn.

RAIL LOCK.

APPLICAHON FILED lAN.5\l91T.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A TTORNE Y Patented Feb. 24,1920. l

.INV/3N TOR. I

f/"nesfE/iowa/a E. E'. HOWARD.

BAIL LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 5. 1917.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NNN MN NN WN Qn,

A TTORNEY E. E. HOWARD.

RAIL LUCK.

APPLLCATION FILED 1AN.5.1911.

Patented Feb. 24,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3. N

[NI/'EN TOR.

TTU/UVE Y ERNEST E. HOWARD, y0F KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

RAIL-LOCK.

specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 24, 1920. l

Application filed January 5, 1917. Serial No. 140,734.

To all wlw/1t t may concern Be it known that I, EnNEsT E. HOWARD, acitizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county ofJackson and Stat-e of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Rail-Locks; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompany ing drawings, and totheletters and iigures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ,of`this speciication.

My invention relates to a combined rail lock and signal operatingmechanism for movable span bridges, and more particularly to ,mechanismwhereby track rails on a movable span may be locked to Valining rails ona permanent span leading thereto, to re tain the alinement of the rails,the principal object 'of the invention being to provide eifective meansfor accomplishing this purpose, together With mechanism for operatingthe lock, a lock control device and means for operating a signalsynchronously with the lock.

In accomplishing these objects I have provided improved details ,ofstructure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in thcaccompanying drawings, wherein:m

Figure I is a perspective View of portions of permanent and movablespans of a lift bridge equipped With my improvements.

Fig. II is a plan View of the same, showing the locking `mechanism inlocking relation to the track rails.

Fig. III is a side elevation ofthe saine.

Fig. IV is a cross section von the line IV-IV, Fig. II.

Fig. V is an enlarged detail perspectivev ViewV ofthe joint intheoperating lever rod. Fig. VIis a detail perspective lvievv of theautomatic stop. i

Referring more in Adetail tothe drawings: 1 2 designate respectively,parts of permanent and mo-vable spans of a lift bridge of any ordinaryconstruction, lcarrying track rails 3 3', the ends of Which terminateclosely adjacent each other and in longitudinal alineinent when themovable span is in functional position.

The end of each of the rails 3 on the pei-- manent span is incut to forma pocket 5 along its outer face and the end of each of the rails 3 onthe movable span. is inc-ut and provided With a joint plate 6,preferably Welded to the rail and shaped to completev rail sectionsthereto, and 8-8 designate guard rails on the ixed and movable spans atthe inner sides of the rails 3-3.`

Fixed on the permanent span adjacent the end of each of the rails 3 is astandard plate 9, having a bearing 10 therein, the channel of whichregisters with an aperture 11 in the endof the adj acentlixed rail 3 andan' aperture 12 in the extension 6 of the joint plate on the movablerail 3. in said bearing-10 is a lock pin 14, the inner end of which. isadapted for projection through thev registering apertures 11-172 in therail and extension 6 to lock said rails together when the rail on themovable span is Slidablymounted j in functional position and the railsin opera 1 tive 'alineinent The outer end of the lock pin 14 comprises ayoke 16 that is pivotally attachedto the arm 17 of a three-vvay lever 18pivotally mounted on a pin 19 risingjfrom the plate 7 on the fixed span,so that it may turn horizontally when actuated in the manner presentlydescribed.

The lever 18 comprises an operating arm 21, the free end of which ispivotally con'l nected with a pin 22 on a slide 23 that Works in a guidetrough 24 on the xed span, so that When the slide ris movedlongitudinally in its guide the lever is rocked to vmove the lock pininto or from the registering apertures in the fixed and movable railmembers to connect or disconnect the same.

18, so that when the three-vvay leverl 18 is actuated to draw or throwthe pin 14 from or into the rail apertures, the lock pin 14 at theopposite side of the span is operated synchronously with and relativelyto the pin 14 at the operating side to lock or unlock the respectiverails.

Vhile I have shown but one end of the movable span with its rail lockingparts, these parts are duplicated at the opposite end of the span andthe rails at both ends of the movable span locked or unlockedsimultaneously through the operating lever that is preferably located atthe center of the movable span.

The operating lever, 29, is rotatably mounted in a standard 30 locatedpreferably at the middle of the movable span and provided with a cross31, having links 32 pivotally connected with its opposite ends sothatwhen the lever is rocked in one direction the links are drawninwardly to draw the locking pins and when rocked -in the oppositedirection the links are moved outwardly to throw the pins as presentlydescribed.

Pivotally connected with each of the links 32 is a connecting rod 33which extends along the movable spa-n Aand is seated in guides thereon,the outer end of the rod being pivotally connected with a link 35 whichin turn is pivotally connected with a bar 36 that is slidably mounted ina guide 37 adjacent the end of the movable span in order that the barmay work longitudinally. The bar 36 is preferably provided with siderails 38 forming upwardly facing shoulders 39 and the guide 37 withkeeper plates 40 that overlie said rails and bear against the shoulder39 to retain the bar against vertical displacement While providing' forfree longitudinal movement thereof.

The bar 36 is upturned at its outer end and provided with a connectinghead 41 that lies parallel with the bar, but at a higher elevation, andis provided with a wedge shaped opening 42 that is adapted for receivinga reversely shaped lugl 43 on the slide bar 23 that works in the guideQ4 on the fixed span.y so that when the movable span is lowered the head41 will move over the lug 43 and form an operative connection betweenthe draw bars on the fixed and movable spans, the

wedge shaped lug and opening insuring the proper positioning of the barsshould there be any unevenness of alinement of the fixed and movableparts as the movable span comes to position.

In order to insure against premature or accidental throwing of the lockpins that would result in preventing; the functional positioning of therails on the movable span,y I provide for automatically projecting astop into the pocket 5 in one of the fixed span rails, immediately uponthe lifting of the movable span, tov lie along the end of the aperture11 therein and prevent -movement of the locking pms 14 through theapertures into thc path oi' a descending rail member,

the action of the stop being automatic in its primary movement andyieldable under the weight of the descending rail so that it can bemoved out of obstructing position upon the descent of the movable span.

The preferred construction of this stop or obstructing member comprisesa lever 45 that is pivotally mounted on a bracket 46 suspended from thefixed span adjacent one of the rails thereon, one end of the lever beingprovided with a weight 47 for automatically lifting the opposite endwhen unrestrained, and said opposite end carrying a stud 48 that isadapted for projecting upwardly through the floor of the span and along'the rail 3 in front of the aperture 11, so that when the movable span israised and the extension 6 of the rail member 6 on the movable spanmoves away from its fixed mating member, the stud will automaticallyrise into the pocket 5 to cover the aperture and prevent the projectionof thelocking pin across the path of the descending rail, the weightretaining' the stud in this obstructingposition until the movable spanis lowered, when the lower edge of the extension 6 engages the top ofthe stud and moves the same downwardly against the tension of itsweight.

It is customary in bridges of this character to provide signals at theends of the bridge to indicate the position of the movable span, and inorder to set the signals synchronously with the operation of the lock, Iextend the slide bar 23 and provide the same with a connecting rod 50that may run to the signal operating mechanism (not shown) so that whenthe operating lever is thrown to draw the locking pins preliminary tothe lifting of the movable span, the signal will be set to indicate theopening of the bridge, and when the lever is moved to throw the pins,the signal operating mechanism is actuated to return the si gnal to itssafe position.

In using` the mechanism, assuming the parts to be constructed andassembled as describedv` when the movable span is in functionalpositionv the ends of the rails are locked and the signal is propertlyset, Should it be desired to open the span, the bridge tender throws thelever 29, throwing the connecting rods outwardly and moving the slides23 to operate the three-way'levers 18 at the inner ends of the permanentspans. This rocking of the three-way levers serves to draw the pins 14with which they are di rectly connected and also to move the bars 27that extend'beneath the track and connect with the opposite levers 25,so that thel pins 14 on both sides of the track are simultaneously movedoutwardly to draw the same from their locking' connection with theextension 6 on the rail members on the movable span, thereby freeingsaid rail members, to permit the span to lift. This outward movement ofthe connecting rod also serves llt? lll() to actuate the signalconnecting rods 50 and set the signals to indicate an open span.

As the extension members 6 move upwardly the obstructing stud or stop 48rises under tension of its weight and moves over the end of the aperture1l in the end ot the rail 3 to lorm an obstruction that will prevent thethrowing of the loc-king pin ld should the operating lever be actuatedbeiiore the movable span has returned to its l'unctional position.

When the span is to be returned to its functional position it is loweredin the ordinary manner, and when it comes to place the extensions G orthe joint plates 6 move down along the ends of the rails 3 on thestationary span, the one at the side of the track where the obstructingstop is located engaging the top of the stop to move the same downwardlyagainst the tension of the weight Lif?, so that when the span is inplace the lever may be operated to throw the locking pins as beforedescribed.

It is apparent that with this combination ot parts the track rails larenormally securely locked together to form continuations of each otherand that after the movable spa-n has been raised the locking mechanismcannot operate until the movable span has com pletely returned to itsfunctional position, thereby obviating incomplete placement of the spanor shearing of the locking pins, and also serving to prevent accidentalor erroneous setting ot the signal at the end ot the bridge.

Having thus described my invention what l claim :is new therein anddesire to secure by Letters-Patent, is zl. In combination with normallyalining track rails, having side lapping ends provided with apertures,registering when the rails are in alinement, one of said rails beingmovable vertically relative to the other, a pin guiding and positioningstandard adi 1 jacent the apertured portionof one of the rails, a pinslidably mounted in the standard and movable into and from the aperturesot both rails, and means for actuating the pin.

2. In combination with stationary and ver tically movable rail members,normally in longitudinal alinement and comprising side lapping portions,having transverse apertures registering when the rail members are inalinement, a pin guidingl and positioning bearing having fixed relationto one of the rail members, a pin in the bearing seating in theapertures of both rail members when the apertures are in registrationand means tor drawing tbe pin.

3. In combination with stationary and vertically movable rail members,normally in longitudinal alinement and comprising side ,lappingportions, having transverse apertures registering when the rail membersare in almement, a pin guiding and positionmg bearing havingixedrelation to one oi the rail members, a pin in the bearing seating in theaperture of both rail members when the apertures are in registration,means for drawing the pin, and a stop movable across the path oi the pinwhen the pin is drawn.

-l-. In combination with stationary and vertically movable rail members,normally in longitudinal alinement and comprising side lapping portions,having transverse apertures registering when the rail members are inalinement, a pin guiding and posi tioning bearing having fixed relationto one ot the rail members, a pin in the bearing seating in the apertureof bot-h rail members when the apertures are in registration, means tordrawing the pin,'and a stop loW cated in the path of the pin when thepin is drawn and engaged by the other rail meml`ber to free the stop asthe movable rail member returns to alinement with the` fixed railmember.

5. In combination with stationary and vertically movable rail members,normally in longitudinal alinement and comprising side lapping portions,having 'transverse apertures registering when the rail members are inalinement, a bearing having fixed relation to one of the rail members, apin in the bearing seating in the aperture of both rail members when theapertures are in registration, means for drawing the pin, a stud locatedin the path of the movable rail member and movable into the path of thepin, means yieldingly urging the stud to contact with the movable railmember, whereby the stud is caused to follow the said rail member acrossthe path of the pin as the movable rail member moves out of alinementwith the stationary member and is engaged and shifted by the movablerail member said member returns to alining position.

6. In combination with fixed and movable track supports, track rails,one on the fixed and the other on the movable support, the movable railhaving an extension movable along the fixed rail, a locking membermovable in the rails to connect or disconnect the same, lever mechanismfor actuating said locking member comprising a rod having cooperatingheads on the fixed and movable supports to automatically brealr or makea joint as the movable member is raised or lowered.

7. In combination with fixed and movable track supports, track rails`one on the fixed and the other on the movable support, a lock ttor saidrails, means for actuating said lock, longitudinally movable members onthe fixed and movable supports, one having a lug and the other anopening` for receiving said lug, whereby a ljoint is automaticallybroken or made between the rod members when the movable member is raisedor lowered.

8. In combination with fixed and movable track supports, track rails,one on the Xed and the other on the movable support, a lock for saidrails, means for actuatingsaid lock. longitudinally movable members onthe ixed and movable supports, one having a tapered lug and the other atapered opening for receiving said lug whereby a joint is automaticallybroken or made between the rod members when the movable member is raisedor lowered.

9. In combination with fixed and movable track supports, track rails,one on the fixed and the other on the movable support, a lock for saidrails, means for actuating said lock, longitudinally movable members onthe fixed and movable supports, one having a lug and the other anopening for receiving said lug, whereby a jointv is automatically brokenor made between the rod members when the movable member is raised orlowered, andL guides on the supports for slidably actuating said rodmembers.

In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature.

ERNEST E. HOWARD.

